


When You're Fast Asleep

by yaoi_yaoieverywhere



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Adults are Stupid, Alternate Universe - Children, Arson, Domestic Fluff, Elementary School, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Ghosts, Giotto gets Tsuna his gurdians super early, Schoolboys, Vongola has no idea about the storm coming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:52:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4360415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoi_yaoieverywhere/pseuds/yaoi_yaoieverywhere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[DISCONTINUED]<br/>Tsuna yearns with all his heart to have friends someday, like the ones his dad promised him would be like all the weathers in the sky and find him when he entered school. Now, four years later, it... still hadn't happened. Sometimes he thinks about that promise and wishes on shooting stars.</p><p>Giotto hears his wish and decides to help. Sealing a child's flame away in the first place is cruel- leaving them behind is worse still. The least he could do was help him find friends! But for Tsuna to choose his guardians, to find life long friends, he must have his flames back.</p><p>So Giotto sets Tsuna on fire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> L A U G H S I finally gave in and posted this
> 
> Updates? Continuation? I just don't know

The memory is more like a half remembered dream than anything else now. His father and an old man are at his house, and Tsuna isn't sure why Mama expects him to favor father over the older man. Especially when the old man dug soft caramels out of his pocket that melted in their mouths. At the time that was obviously more important that a loud man who seemed to need even more attention than Tsuna.

And the old man was warm, too. Like the fire that decorated Tsuna's hands when he was feeling particularly stubborn about cleaning up his toys, or when he got a splinter. Not quite as familiar, not safe, but warm all the same.

Is that why he'd taken Tsuna's? Hid away the warmth that kept from hurting himself because he wanted it for himself?

Maybe he should hate the man. But... He didn't seem bad, not even back then.

That was the same day his father had told Tsuna that one day he'd have friends. More friends than he could ever count on his fingers and toes. And six special friends, the best of the best, who would practically live with him.

"They will protect you, and you will protect them. That's what it means to be a man! Take the lead and keep them safe!"

The protecting thing hadn't sounded half bad. But now, at the quiet age of nine, he didn't have the ability to protect even himself. He walks home some days with bruised bones and bloody patches of skin. Being the weak link sure took energy...

His room was the only place that showed his still burning hope. A closet full of pillows and blankets and board games. A table in the center of the room. A too large bed.

Scrunching the fabric of his sheets with one hand, Tsuna stared out the window quietly. It was dark outside. He'd just woken up, so it must be the middle of the night. Stars were luminous little wishes too far away for Tsuna to grab. Maybe he ought to add another one tonight. How did Nana say it went...

"If I get just one wish, let it be this: I wish for a friend." His voice is soft with sleep. For a moment he waits, maybe for a shooting star he never sees, and then he's laying back down on his sheets. He turns the phrase over in his mind a few times before drifting off again.

Luckily for Tsuna, a much more substantial wish granter than a shooting star had heard him.

The ghost of Giotto sat down on the bed beside Tsuna, gazing curiously at what appeared to be a mini him with brown tresses. The sheets and mattress shifted under him like he was still alive.

"Where is your flame?" Laying a hand on Tsuna's chest, his face darkened when he couldn't feel the living warmth of a flame beneath the child's skin. "What have they done to you, small sky? No... Tsuna." He stayed that way for a while, counting each breath and still waiting for a flicker of heat to reach out for his own. It didn't come.

What did come was the echo of a mist flame, placed too intimately on Tsuna's throat. It masked a seal of some kind. The seal that kept Tsuna's powers locked away.

"Hmm. This is going to be more complicated than I thought..." Probing the foreign flames curiously with his own, Giotto started to form a plan as he uncovered the sky flames hidden by the seal only to be shut out immediately. "Sorry, Tsuna, but you need your flames."

OOO

Tsuna woke up the next morning with a pleasant warmth in his joints. Like he'd slept the perfect amount of the time under a kotatsu, or like he'd fallen asleep with a stomach full of hot chocolate. His usual intuition warned him of nothing, which was suspicious in and of itself seeing as he almost fell out of bed like usual. If anything, it seemed to be curled up in the back of his mind purring contentment.

Something was going to happen today, Tsuna just knew it. Something good? It would have to be. Though... Something told him that it wouldn't seem good at first...

Very quickly he was proven right when, right in from of the school gates, he spontaneously combusted.

Or rather, his clothes did. Because they were on fire while he was still wearing them. Whoops?

His first thought was really just a screeching noise. His second, stronger thought, was that Hibari was going to bite him to death for disturbing the peace, spontaneous combustion or not. His third, strongest thought, was that if only he could make it to the pool in the gym...

Before he knew what he was doing, his feet were tearing in the direction of the pool, an unusual orange flame settling in his hair and around his clenched fists as he ran. The students jumped out of his way as he ran, but he couldn't hear if they were screaming at him or at the fact he was on fire.

Had Tsuna's brain been working right he would have realized the flames weren't hurting him anymore.

Little unusual fact about dying will flames and regular flames- essentially, if you have dying will flames activated, real flames will not harm you. Sure, gunpowder, bullets, and whips will, but not the base fire. Though, that means nothing for the clothes you may or may not be wearing.

Back to reality: Some of the faces he passed by were familiar to him if only for their infamy around school. Ryohei, for one, whose deafening screams made their way into even Tsuna's deaf ears of how "extreme" Tsuna's newfound training must be for his to be running around school while on fire. Hibari, for another, who just calmly stepped out of his way and watched him go with eyes that promised retribution for any number of broken school rules. Yamamoto was another, with his aspiring dream to be on the middle school baseball team, and his startled laughed as he barely managed to avoid Tsuna's path.

Bursting through the gym's double doors, he barely registered that no one else was in here before diving into the pool. The water felt weird on his skin, and he bobbed to the surface with a gasp. Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked around with much calmer eyes.

And at the edge of the pool was a genially smiling Giotto.

"Now all that's left is to wait for your guardians to find you." His voice was almost self satisfied. Crouching down, he looked at Tsuna and paused. "And to get you some new clothes besides boxers. I do wonder why it's only the boxers that ever survive..." Seemingly heedless of Tsuna's gasping and spluttering, he reached out a hand.

"W-who are you? How did you get past Hibari?!" Even as Tsuna clung to Giotto's hand, he found the breath to ask these questions. Honestly, Giotto was a little impressed.

"I'm Giotto, your many-greats-grandpa! I'll explain everything later. Oh, but I am a ghost. Kind of. I don't think anyone but you can see me. Don't worry about it!" Giotto has certainly learned to stop worrying long ago. But not until after his biological death.

'Don't worry about it' basically summed up what advice Tsuna would get from here on. But well. He does worry, and it keeps him alive, and more importantly, it keeps his guardians alive. If somewhat insane.

Tsuna swallowed a sharp screech as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water. Bright orange flames lingered in his hair, on his hands, and his eyes were a proper orange. Perhaps now he should try and take that advice. Just for a bit.


	2. Ghosts aren't Sneaky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 30 kudos, comments, and 9 bookmarks on a work I explicitly said I probably wasn't continuing?? Damn. That's some dedication. I better respond in kind. And I get to procrastinate on the 7 drafts I have, and NBaAS...
> 
> I'm back with more and I'm so tired rn. Maybe expect more after my little sister's party is over on the 26th... But her birthday is today (the 23rd) so. Please wish her well in your thoughts!

Giotto had been much more dignified towards the end of his life. A calm majesty surrounded him even in the small town he grew old in. For a gaijin he was well respected and his children were accepted as native citizens easily.

Now? Hmm... Not so much.

All of that seems to have been thrown out somewhere along the path of being invisible to- Well, to just about everyone. Maybe it was the fact he faded out and back in to time after decades passed sometimes, and suddenly having new wonders and horrors to take in without fear of judgement or harm drove him a little bit crazy.

Tsuna however thought he didn't have to be so enamored with air conditioning and ice shaving machines though. There weren't even any ice shaving machines here, in the classroom, where Tsuna was trying to use his newfound ability to understand what he was being taught despite Giotto's loud questions. He couldn't even feel the temperature unless he focused anymore, what did it matter to him?! Also, he used flames. On his fists and his hair. Which he'd somehow infected Tsuna with to help him "make friends". Heat probably meant nothing to him even before death. There was no reason for him to like cold things. Tsuna was freezing and tired and very much had stress piling up because if Giotto could just shut up he knew he could understand he just knew-

So. A ghost of his ancestor marveling over cold things was the least of his worries.

Having to find a new outfit before Hibari saw him was... not fun. Well, it actually was kind of fun, until he realized that most of the clothes that fit in the locker room were bright orange. Obviously something had happened here, where they had been left condemned and clean. Couldn't it at least be a nice pastel orange, or maybe a burnt orange? Not so... eye catching?

Giotto loved the colors though. "Matches your eyes, as Daemon would say!" Tsuna kind of wanted to find this Daemon person and punch them in their post-mortem metaphysical face. (Half a world away, in the heart of Vongola headquarters, a melon haired ghost sneezed but no one could hear him.) And so Tsuna had trudged to class in a bright orange gym uniform.

Somehow he'd made it to class on time. Which never happened, Tsuna was kind of freaking out about it.

Back to his current predicament. Giotto screeching over the air conditioner.

"-d the air just goes whOOSH out and it's cold! That's amazing! I would have done many awful things to get one of these. Unspeakable things, even to my guardians. Especially in the summer. Have you ever had a summer in Florence, Tsuna? It's not fun. It's super hot, the guy you're tailing after doesn't care about image but you have to, and it's just a smelly awful mess after it's over with. Not to mention all your guardians also being smelly awful messes. Speaking of, that one over there looks like Asari! Like, tiny Asari. Little tiny baby Asari without his flute. And you look like a tiny baby me without my blond hair! Maybe he's your rain guardian?"

Tsuna didn't want to know what a rain guardian was right now, he wanted to know why math was suddenly making sense. But he couldn't help himself from glancing over at where Giotto was pointing. The child is question was Yamamoto Takeshi, and to be honest, Tsuna admired the guy.

Sometimes he felt bad because everyone else seemed to forget how abruptly Yamamoto had lost half his world when his mom had died. His smiles had grown brittle after that for a long while. Tsuna hadn't known what to do except share bits and pieces of his very special bento that his mom packed him with Yamamoto. Maybe it'd helped. Now his smiles were much more genuine, but he still didn't talk to Tsuna.

Couldn't be helped, Tsuna guessed. He was just Dame Tsuna and Yamamoto was so much more.

Turning back to the board, he didn't notice Yamamoto glance back at him with a curious eyes. In his mind Tsuna was suddenly so much brighter with that orange jacket and completely new way of holding himself. Even his eyes seemed to have changed. Yamamoto wanted to know why. Well, and he also wanted to know why Tsuna had been running through the halls literally on fire, but somehow that was less shocking to him than Tsuna suddenly becoming so intriguing. Namimori's fault, he's sure.

"Not that he's the only one that I've seen who looks like my guardians. That boy with the pair of tonfa looked so much like Alaude if someone had been brave enough to dump an inkpot over his head, and that 'extreme' boy looks like Knuckle if he ever went grey! Only tiny versions. That's like half my guardians having look alikes. What if there are more? Oh man, that'd suck for you if they're anything like my guardians and they turn out to be yours. Don't get me wrong, I loved them, I really did, but. Paperwork is the true evil. And they caused all of it. All of it!"

Maybe Giotto would shut up if Tsuna slept. Maybe, if there was a god.

ooo

Tsuna had a routine for lunch by now, which was basically surrendering his lunch to the bully of the day and then gazing at the sky while eating what food he'd hidden in his backpack or pockets. It seemed Giotto wasn't going to tolerate this schedule. 

"You're gonna end up small and malnourished forever if you let them do this. Just keep the peace, it'll make your life a lot easier. It's okay to knock out a tooth at this age anyway. It'll grow back!"

"Is keeping the peace how you ended up with all that paperwork?" Tsuna was genuinely curious, here. Paperwork didn't sound that bad. All you did was sign a stack of papers and suddenly you had money. Simple! But if it really was the bane of Giotto's post-mortem existence, he'd like to avoid it himself.

"I don't like to think about that." Which was just another way to say that yes, it was. Completely and utterly. Giotto's eyes flicked over to the doorway of Tsuna's classroom which, while not empty exactly, was full of sheep-like bystanders so the bullies didn't hesitate to walk in. "Here they come now! Today should be easy. All I want you to do is avoid their punches if it comes to that. Your intuition will guide you."

"What's into- intoe-"

"Oh, is Dame-Tsuna talking to himself now?" A lanky boy jeered, one Tsuna vaguely remembered was named Reo. "Don't mind us, da-me-tsu-na. We'll just be taking your lunch..."

"No." The word is out before Tsuna registers it, but he doesn't feel cold anymore. His chest is warm and he can look into Reo's eyes for the first time. "I'll be eating that today."

"Hooh, so the class idiot thinks he can stop us, now does he?"

"Shut up, Mako." And Tsuna had dug his grave, he just knew it. The air was spiked with anger and Mako pulled a clenched fist back-

So it turns out the Intuition Giotto had vaguely mentioned felt a lot like he was in a video game and a player had just taken control of his body after playing this fight through a number of times and was muttering the move chain they'd have to execute seconds before they did it. So weird. So cool? Kind of familiar, but never quite so loud.

Settling himself back down, Tsuna noticed how quiet he was. Coughing slightly into his hand, he blushed embarrassedly. Fidgeting with the wrapping on his lunchbox, he tried to ignore it.

"Hmm... Maybe somewhere less crowded next time. But you did it! Great job! I don't think I've seen anyone with my level of intuition before, it was refreshing to see it from the outside."

"Did you usually fight people?" It was half mumbled into a bite of rolled omelette, but Giotto sighed and nodded.

"Vigilantism usually requires some fighting, yes. And then there was the mafia business I got caught up in to protect the town... But, that's a long story that's long past. Now you've got your own story! Aah, I can't wait to find out how your life will play out..."

Giotto must not know how creepy that sounded. But then, neither did Tsuna really. The acceptance of youth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nnnnn. That's all for now. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone too bad.
> 
> I've made Giotto a bit too much like Sai from HnG, I think. But I just can't think that Giotto wouldn't go a little freedom crazy after being released from the responsibilities of his life. Life as Primo must have been tough!
> 
> Edit: Thanks to the lovely escrori, I have fixed it so Tsuna puts on a Namimori uniform. But bright orange. I'm sorry it took a while, I kind of saw your mesage right before I was allowed to sleep ;;;


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh, quick sidenote- I can't promise I'll be able to keep an even tone. (I'm glad you guys think I'm funny sometimes, btw. It means a lot!) I have a lot of light hearted ideas, but at my core, I am frothing with like. Lots of emotional things and plots for Tsuna and his Guardians. They've been through some shit, even in this fanfic. And I mean, mafia, so.
> 
> SPEAKING OF EMOTIONAL SHIT AND THE MAFIA, I'm gonna sneak Mukuro in next chapter. Because why wait when you can have a man who's lived through hell multiple times find himself in a Japanese town without knowing why?

Let's start off with a little reflection. Tsuna had known, preemptively, that Hibari was going to come after him today. You don't just storm into any of Namimori's school grounds and cause a commotion without getting your biting. Even when you hadn't been the one to cause it so much as your ghostly great-great-great...grandpa had, because Hibari couldn't bite him and probably wouldn't believe Tsuna anyway.

Or at least, Tsuna thought.

By the time Recess rolled around Tsuna had all but forgotten that though because Giotto was turning out to be quite the handful. Ghost he may be, but he was able to touch things.

"Oh, it's been so long since I've been able to interact with birds! What a beauty you are, such a pretty skylark..."

...Also, he could possess parts of Tsuna's body for short periods of time because they were 'compatible'. He didn't like where this was going.

But yes, Giotto right now had asked for control of Tsuna's body excluding his face for some reason and he had agreed to it just for a bit. Now with his body up a tree and a skylark glaring at his face while it perched on his hands, he only half regretted it. He'd never seen a bird so close before. It wasn't the prettiest bird he'd seen, but it was in its own way. What was the pattern it had called? Speckled...?

He was glad the bird couldn't hear Giotto, because it might have scared it off.

"Herbivore."

The bird turned it's sharp eyes downward and Tsuna followed its gaze only to blanch. At the foot of the tree, black eyes stared up at him sternly, and eyebrow crooked the slightest bit up in interest. Hibari had come for him.

"H-Hi-" Gulping back whatever was coming out of his mouth, startled noise or greeting or just Hibari's name, he felt his hands gently set the bird back on the nest they'd found. The sudden control of his limbs felt like the static of his limbs falling asleep and he wobbled dangerously on the branch.

"Clumsy herbivores don't belong up in trees. Get down."

"Yes, Hibari-senpai!" He squeaked as he rushed to obey. He bit back the urge to let Hibari know he wasn't clumsy anymore because Giotto had given him flames. He didn't really know why the flames made him feel so much steadier but they just did somehow. It'd been almost half his life since he'd felt so at ease in his own body.

Clinging to the lowest branch, Tsuna lowered his feet to the ground slowly in hopes that by the time he let go Hibari would have left. 

Turning around, Hibari was still there, curiously staring at him. Darn.

"Oh! This is the one that looks like Alaude! Look at his chubby lil' face." Now Tsuna was extremely glad no one else could hear Giotto. Especially not Hibari.

"Herbivore, you ran into school on fire today." Fidgeting under Hibari's expectant gaze, Tsuna coughed. "I do not allow students of Namimori to be endangered." Except by you, Tsuna thought uncharitably. Giotto thought it was nice of the tiny Alaude to be so concerned about Tsuna's health.

"Um... I don't really know how I got set on fire..." Except for that somehow Giotto had done it. And not with his super orange flames either, they were actual real flames. How did he manage that? "I'm sorry?"

"Hmm. See that it doesn't happen again, or I will bite you to death." Tsuna was surprised about not being beaten, but he was more worried that Hibari still had his Tonfa out and was eyeing Tsuna so closely.

"Do you need something?" 

"You've changed. When?"

"My uniform was burned in the flames, so..."

"No. _You_ have changed. It's like you became a leader overnight." Hibari took a step forward, and for once in his life, Tsuna stood his ground. A slow smile creeped over Hibari's face. "Fight me."

"Oooooh. That's not good." Giotto, you're not helping. "Okay! Tsuna, time for your second lesson. I'm gonna teach you how to activate your flames on purpose. You know how you sealed them earlier, by finding peace? You kind of need to do the opposite of that now. It's called your Dying Will."

Tsuna wanted to scream that he felt in no way peaceful as Hibari swung a tonfa at his face, but had to lurch forward to avoid the hit. Scrambling for some distance, he looked around for something to defend himself with besides his fists.

"No, you use your fists! That's where your flames are!"

"I'm not hitting Hibari-senpai, are you insane?!" Tsuna managed shrilly as he avoided a thrown tonfa. "He's _Hibari-senpai_! And I've never hit anyone in my life!" There had to be a proper way to punch, why couldn't Giotto actually teach him things instead of throwing him in the deep end?

"If you have time to talk, you have time to fight, little animal." Ah, good, it seemed Hibari was ignoring the fact Tsuna was talking as if someone else was talking. "Fight me."

"Well, I mean, you either fight him or get beaten up at this point." And why can't you intervene, Giotto? Hmm?

"Urgh!" Hibari had almost managed to hit Tsuna's arm, and now he realized they'd run all the way to the school entrance. Darting inside the doors, he hoped Hibari would at least stop now that there was the potential of damaging Namimori property. The doors swinging open behind him lead him to believe that wasn't the case. Fiddlesticks.

Glancing around for something, anything to throw, he caught sight of a pair of slippers stuffed in someone's open shoe locker. There was a story there. A story Tsuna didn't particularly care to know as he swiped one of the slippers and turned around, suddenly face to face with Hibari.

"HIEEE!" And with that shrieking battle cry, Tsuna hit Hibari on the head with a slipper. A slipper covered in orange flames. "Don't sneak up on me! T-that's rude! Oh my gosh, I almost died!"

It's a little known fact that no one has ever had the audacity to smack Hibari Kyouya with a slipper before. Or in general smack him with an object, such as a book or a ruler. However his mother had occasionally smacked him on the back of the head if he got out of hand. At this point being smacked generally curved Hibari's blood thirst and made him respect those who smacked him, at least a little.

Well, that and the orange flames that clung to Tsuna. 

"You're on fire again," is all Hibari managed to get out.

"Hm? Huh?!" Looking down at his hands, he held back a shriek valiantly and quietly stared at his hands with shock. "Oh. I did it again."

"Tsuna learns so fast! Grandpa is so proud!" Giotto cheered, ruffling Tsuna's hair. "Soon you'll be able to call your sky flames whenever you want. Oh, maybe we should get you a ring, that'd make it easier. I wonder if the Vongola still have my old ring..."

"Sky flames..." Tsuna murmured, flexing his hands and the orange fire that danced in his palms. "That makes no sense, you know."

"So that's why you feel like a leader." Oh, right, Hibari. "I won't bow to you just because of that though. I am a Hibari."

"You know what these are?"

"I have seen the man with whom I don't acknowledge relations with uses red ones he calls Storm flames. He calls orange ones Sky flames, said they belong to leaders. He's annoying though." Hibari huffed before looking at Tsuna critically. "You aren't going to be annoying, are you?"

"I dunno. I hope not." Tsuna felt he had enough flaws without annoying Hibari as well. "What about you? Do you have flames?"

"Hmm." Scrunching his nose up, Hibari looked at his own hands and the tonfa held in his fists. "How do you know about the flames? You were chattering like there was someone else there, crowding with you."

"You're not gonna believe me," Tsuna muttered, glancing between Giotto- who was half phased through the shoe lockers and eye level with the shoes for some reason- and Hibari worriedly. "You can't even see him. And he's... loud."

"Hn." Raising an eyebrow, Hibari stared evenly at Tsuna. So much was contained in that simple noise. 'I just saw you set a slipper on fire with willpower alone.' 'I'm glad I can't hear him.' 'I could be eating the snacks my lackeys offer me right now.' 'My word quota was reached five minutes ago so you better hurry up and explain _herbivore._ '

"Okay, so, my too-many-greats-grandpa is a ghost who has my hair except blond and he set me on fire this morning! I don't really know why but he did! And he's trying to teach me how to fight with my orange flames and he hates paperwork! And he's obsessed with cold things it's driving me nuts!"

There were a few moments where Hibari and Tsuna just stared at each other. Tsuna started to break out in a cold sweat. This was it. This was the day Hibari finally snapped. Tsuna wouldn't stand a chance oh gosh-

"You too?!"

What.

"Well. Alaude set me on fire a week ago but it was purple and he's not so loud. But otherwise it's the about same. Is yours named Giotto?"

"Oh my god how did you know?"

"Alaude was Giotto's cloud guardian. He says names sometimes. He calls them family."

A tear started to grow in Tsuna's eye. He wasn't alone, thank gosh. On the weirdo ghosts front, at least. He hadn't been around Giotto long enough to know much about a family. In those moments a bond of having to deal with equal weirdness beyond their control started to form and would only grow in their lifetimes.

"Aw, I didn't know Alaude was so attached to our familgia. That's great, Tsuna!" Oh no, Giotto. "Now you should try to synchronize with Hibari!"

"Sin-chro-what?" Tsuna asked, tilting his head to the side as he stared at Giotto.

"Shake his hand while you've got your flames on, and if you guys are compatible, it'll work!" It didn't occur to Tsuna to ask what would happen, but some part of him felt resigned to obeying Giotto's whims. They made things less boring at the very least, and chaotic at times, but it was nice in comparison to how life used to be just yesterday. Maybe Hibari would be his friend if they did this...

"Ah... Well, I guess if it's okay with Hibari..." Turning back to Hibari, he noticed he seemed to be listening and glaring at an empty spot in the air. "Hibari-senpai?" Hibari turned to look at him, glare still on his face. Cowering a little against the lockers, Tsuna tried to hold his gaze.

In his gaze Tsuna can see judgement, the way he comes away seeing potential but nothing substantial. How he's always been seen. Now if makes Tsuna stand up straighter, as if it was a challenge. Even he had pride, and it had somehow grown in the few hours since he'd been lit aflame by some crazy ghost. 

Hibari looks him over again, glance back at the empty spot Alaude must be at, and sighs in resignation.

"I protect Namimori." Tsuna wants to hiss 'duh', but this is Hibari here, and also there's something important in the edge of his tone.

"Of course! Y-you've always protected the schools, so-" And he hasn't lost his stutter just yet, but he gets the words out anyway.

"So you'll be fine with it if we go on?" Tsuna frowned at that and thought for a moment. What did Hibari mean? It wasn't like Hibari needed Tsuna's permission to live as he pleased. He was strong! Why would he obey Tsuna just because of this synchronizing thing?

"Why wouldn't I be? Hibari-senpai always protects Namimori. That's just who you are, right?" As Hibari's gaze softened, Tsuna straightened back up and gulped down his nerves as best he could.

Clouds were known to be temperamental loners. While often true, the real basis is the need to have freedom. Set their own rules, not be forced to like people just because they were unavoidably family of some kind, stay up as late as they desired, etc. Tsuna may not be the strongest sky, Hibari knows this very well, but it was easy to see he wouldn't take away Hibari's freedom.

"Yeah." And with that, Hibari offered a hand covered in purple flames. Reaching his own hand out, Tsuna watched as orange licked his palm before their hands met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll get to hear about the synchronization next chapter! Man, I always have Hibari join first in my ideas, and I don't get why. Surely Ryohei or Yamamoto should be first, but I think of how driven and straightforward Hibari can be and all that flies out the window. Urgh. 
> 
> Yes, all of Giotto's other guardians are ghosts who are or will be following their heirs/descendants around! I mean I did put the whole 1st gen in the character tags.
> 
> Does Japan have recess for the elementary years? I would hope so, but I dunno.
> 
> I was looking up the Japanese Skylark because it's been so long, and then I found out it's scientific name is Alauda japonica. Alauda. Alaude. shit
> 
> Edit: THANK YOU rayningnight FOR THE CRITIQUE I've gone back now and hopefully patched some of the problems you pointed out!! It needs furthur adjustments, I think, but it's a start. I appreciate your honesty so much, you don't even know.
> 
> Sidenote- All Hibari agrees to here is Synchronizing, not becoming Tsuna's official guardian or anything.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To suit my own needs, I've aged Lambo up five years. Otherwise he'd be an infant at this point in time which is... detrimental to the 'plot'.
> 
> Sorry for the brevity, I've been having difficulties getting the right events to form in my head. (I have scenarios that would fit right in like ten chapters from now ready to go but that's nOT WHAT I'M HERE FOR RN) And also for some reason I feel really insecure about my writing lately...? Stupid anxiety. Stupid messed up sleeping schedule.

Taking Hibari's hand was easy. All too easy.

Their synchronization is burning. The softening goo of a marshmallow, the sharp smell of burnt sugar. Stronger than the rest of the world, weak because of all the support it requires to survive, to come into being. Tsuna breathes it in and melts in the way each memory licks against his skin. Hibari consumes each passing memory like flames, taking it in and burning it down to the essence.

Synchronization at it's heart serves two purposes. The first is to allow further mutual insight into a person you at the very least trust on the shallowest level. The second was to test flame compatibility- the greater the compatibility, the more memories shared. Back in Giotto's time it was only slightly more well known but now was considered too intimate to use practically and known to even fewer.

Side effects could include unintentional mental links, the combination of two highly compatible flames becoming something of a beacon of light to anyone who could see flames, important bits like language and thought processes being shared, and alerting others with high compatibility to the approximate location of the two synchronizing.

Tsuna had just the right amount of luck- good and bad- to have all of these things happen. Dammit Giotto, you never warn anybody.

Ryohei Sasagawa, in the middle of drooling through a history lesson, perked up and felt something strong call to him. Close, it said, so very close. One of his legs practically vibrated with excitement as he glanced at the clock. Recess for his class would start soon. And then...

At the very same moment Yamamoto Takeshi turned away from watching his home run streak through the sky, thrum of power grasping his bones and tugging. From the front of the school, something purple and orange flickered brightly. Glancing around, he noticed no one else seemed to see it. Hastily excusing himself, ignoring the startled exclamations and the whines, he started running towards the front of the school.

Loosening her grip on the stray cat she'd finally managed to catch, Nagi allowed it to slip out of her arms and land gracefully at her feet. Something far away was tugging at her mind, calling for it to fall away from her body. Warm like a fire. One vicious, the other unifying. A blonde woman put a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed it lightly as she waited. That night Nagi would fall asleep and wander around dreams for the first time in search of that warm presence.

Over the fresh corpses of those who had put him through hell as many times as they could, Mukuro Rokudo sagged against the wall as warmth crept into his bones. Flames, he thought blandly, trying to pick apart the types. Cloud he recognized immediately, all too similar and yet a twist on his own flames that felt fittingly testy. They were strong, but there was an even brighter presence in his mind. Sky, he realized. It was too welcoming to be anything else. Unknowing of the tears forming in his eyes as he pulled the warmth in, he felt how very far away the source was. He would find this sky and cloud and- yes, this sky would listen. If they agreed... They had the raw power to fulfill his desire.

Gokudera Hayato paused in packing his bags at the sudden but faint pull in his bones. The feeling of a sky and a cloud were unmistakeable to him. But... They were calling to him, practically halfway across the world. What was this? How were they doing it? Sorting mentally through the new information flooding through, he determined the flames to be in a small town in Japan for all places. Would it be worth it to ditch Shamal and head over there? Glancing to the side, he eyes the pink haired ghost that had taken to following him. Maybe...

Bovino Lambo was freshly minted five years old and had decided he wanted to make his family proud. Especially his weird cousin who no one else could see who complained about all the antics he got into. It was just grenades, sheesh. So when he felt something warm in his chest, a bright mess that made him want to keep moving, he went to that cousin to see if he knew how to get to some place called Nihon. His family would let him go, though he didn't yet know why.

Finally, finally pulling his hand back, Tsuna shuddered under the weight of another life inside his head. Looking just past Hibari's shoulder, he locked gazes with Alaude and swallowed. The weight of expectation in that gaze. The confidence in Tsuna's future. Nails biting into his palms, he nodded and settled under the weight of expectation.

It was the first time an adult expected something great from him. From Hibari? From Tsuna? From their soon to form family? Tsuna didn't know, but he took it as his own and straightened.

"I knew it would work! Hi Alaude!"

...Well, shall we say, an adult he thought of as an actual adult that expected something of him.

"Giotto. You're late, _Erbivoro_. I should arrest you."

"Eeeh? I see death hasn't done anything to relax you, then. I thought you would have loved being a ghost!"

"Hmph." Alaude glanced at Hibari and gave in to a very tiny smirk. "Some of it."

Ugh, they were ignoring them now. Well, it was probably for the best now that Tsuna had all this new stuff swirling through his head. Chinese and French and napping half the day and Italian and hamburger steak and patrol routes and the will to fight... Turning to Hibari, they eyed each other for a moment before nodding. They'd better get back to the playground.

Tsuna noticed the ghosts automatically trailed after them as if tied by a chain. That was... pretty weird, actually. Opening the front door, he tumbled to the floor, Yamamoto's familiar face mere inches from his own as they blinked at each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SAID MUKURO WOULD ARRIVE DIDN'T I and technically he did, along with all the other guardians.
> 
> I keep getting kudos and bookmarks on this and I keep being amazed ;;; Thanks to every one of you, I'm just not on here a lot, and sometimes I don't have time to do more than read messages, but you need to know!
> 
> This chapter came out slower than usual, but I recommend you get used to it. Not only is school starting in a few weeks (if I even get to go, money is...) but now I'm trying to writing on my tablet and it's very unfamiliar to my hands.


	5. Watermelon Splitting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You people need to sTOP this fic officially has more kudos than my fave in progress KHR fic and now I'm completely confused

When Tsuna tumbles to the floor with Yamamoto on top of him, he mindlessly reaches for a tonfa that isn't there to smack him with. Realizing what he'd just done, he freezes as the guilt set in. He was about to smack Yamamoto! He probably hadn't even seen Tsuna was there.

"Hi Dame Tsuna!" Yamamoto got to his feet, dusting himself off before offering a hand. Neither of the two noticed Hibari in the corner narrowing his eyes. "Did you see the orange and purple thing too?"

"The- the what?" Now back on his feet he felt free to look around. Plain looking shoe lockers, a baseball bat in Yamamoto's hand, the doors... He didn't see anything orange and purple. What could possibly have-

"Your flames," Alaude said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Oh. Right, Hibari had purple flames and Tsuna had orange ones. Son of a cheesecake.

"I wonder what type of flames he has," Giotto hummed, floating over Tsuna's head for no apparent reason. Maybe he thought it looked cool. "Or if he's a worthy guardian."

In that moment, Tsuna suddenly knew what Hibari was about to do just by the glint in his eye. Being inside each others memories as far back as they went would do that. Still, he squeaked in sudden terror as the murderous glint entered Hibari's eye.

"Herbivores," With a smooth movement, Hibari pulled a Tonfa out of nowhere Tsuna could see. "Get out or I will bite you to death."

"Aw, but we haven't broken any rules! I was just talking to my friend." Yamamoto grinned, and Tsuna was surprised to be shielded by Yamamoto so suddenly. "Recess isn't over yet, right Dame Tsuna?"

"Well, no..." Tsuna responded slowly as he watched Hibari's gaze grow slowly pleased and even more viscous. Without being able to see Yamamoto's face he was unable to tell exactly why Hibari was so excited.

"I was unaware friends called each other useless," Hibari drawled, adjusting his grip on the tonfa. Tsuna's skin crawled as the air surrounding Yamamoto suddenly went still and his hand tightened it's grip on the bat. "Namimori students should be respectful to their peers."

"Everyone calls him that. Why wouldn't I call him..." It start off defensive, but by the end Yamamoto's tone has fallen flat. It's finally dawning on him.

"So you are just another Herbivore... Hmph." The Tonfa was across the room in a flash, and Tsuna barely managed to avoid it in time- it still grazed Yamamoto's cheek. A nasty bruise would form for sure. Tsuna was actually just happy there weren't any spikes attached. Uh, note to Tsuna- don't let Hibari know that's possible.

Another tonfa is in Hibari's hand, and Tsuna's tempted to tackle Yamamoto out of it's way. But Yamamoto raises the bat in his hand with a sudden grin, eyes near slits and face terrifying for a reason Tsuna can't place. Tonfa and Bat meet, the children's arms shaking with effort as they pushed with all their might against each other. Yamamoto still has that unsettling smile and Hibari has a feral smirk.

Something in Tsuna hissed this isn't right. They shouldn't be fighting like this, like they're enemies.

"I am not like them," Yamamoto says in that stalemate, eyes opening just a bit wider. "Tsuna isn't useless."

"Words mean little." Tonfa pushes the bat back in an instant, and suddenly Hibari has the pair of tonfa flickering purple as he turns towards Tsuna. 

Tsuna has no idea what his face looks like in that moment. He knows Hibari would never aim to hurt him needlessly. He knows that he could escape Hibari if it came down to it. He knows one day they will fight on equal footing. He can't figure out why Hibari has turned to him instead. He trusts at the very least Hibari would have a reason for this.

Then Yamamoto is in front of him, bat crackling faintly with blue.

Oh.

Tsuna had seen the opposite done many times. Hibari turns his attention to another person, and the first victim would try and sneak away without a thought. That was just what happened. There was no defending the other, no matter how dear. They would live, right? But Yamamoto was here with enough conviction to light his flames for the first time.

"He really is a mini Asari!" Giotto cheered from his seat next to Alaude. "Rain flames and everything!"

"No flutes," Alaude muttered, silently relishing when Giotto pouted.

"You can't just ban flutes just because-"

"No. Flutes."

"It was just one time Alaude. One time!"

Tsuna turned away from that conversation, rising to his feet. Yamamoto was still staring down Hibari and waiting for his next move. Tsuna gently grasped his shoulder, watching Yamamoto glance at him curiously only after Hibari relaxed his stance marginally.

"Your bat is on fire," Tsuna said without much thought. Yamamoto's gaze darted to his bat and he yelped before dropping it. The blue flames flickered out. "Ah, no, I mean-"

"It didn't burn," Yamamoto realized. Reaching for the bat again, the blue flames flickered back to life on its surface. "Is it a toy?"

Hibari snorted, already putting his tonfa away discontentedly as Alaude watched him with hawk eyes. They must've used some weird glare telepathy.

"Not really?" Tsuna squeaked, looking between Yamamoto and Giotto now. Giotto who was, now unattended, halfway through the flooring and unconcerned about it. "Those are your flames. The flames of your will. I think?"

"They're weak," Hibari scoffed from his place beside Alaude. The blue flames on Yamamoto's bat grew. "Plus, it's only on the bat."

"Maa, I don't quite understand. My will isn't weak." Yamamoto was all grins at Hibari again, and he let go of the bat only for the flames to still be decorating his left hand.

Tsuna took that opportunity to activate his flames to yank Giotto up from sinking into the floor. How embarrassing could his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandpa get? At least the only living person who could see him right now was Hibari.

"Prove it. Shake Tsuna's hand with your flames." What?

"Maybe I will!" Oh no.

"I bet you can't." Hibari why are you doing this?!

"I'm gonna do it right now!" Yamamoto no please think for a moment-

"Prove it." Fiddlesticks.

Tsuna technically could have found a way out of shaking Yamamoto's hand. Technically. I mean, his intuition isn't sensing a real threat, his flames were alight because he'd just helped Giotto up, and it would have been super rude to just refuse to shake Yamamoto's hand.

So soothing blue rain met the resigned orange sky for the first time, and started sharing their lives due to a stupid cloud being a ten year old's version of 'sneaky'. Speaking of that, Hibari watched smugly as blue and orange flames rose from his two underclassmen. Alaude nodded at his side, quietly approving. This had probably been another silent glare made plan.

Just as the flames were dying down, the bell for first recess to head back inside rang...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, something I just remembered: "Be careful the wish you make, Wishes are children... Care for the path they take, wishes come true- not free." And seeing as we both have Tsuna's wish for friends AND the fact they're all children, this is gonna get crazy. Haaha!
> 
> Oh, before the questions about "YAMAMOTO'S LOYALTY WAS SO SUDDEN" start- You know how when you're sad, sometimes little acts of kindness stay with you forever? Remember Tsuna mentioning he shared his mom's bento with Yamamoto sometimes? Well basically he did it every single day for two weeks. Yamamoto didn't forget. [And I really didn't want to deal with a suicidal nine year old because of a broken arm.] So.


	6. Another Beacon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while, like I promised. Anyway, I have a lot of stuff that comes AFTER this all planned out, but for some reason the pieces leading up to those parts were tough. Who woulda thought.
> 
> Any Gokudera/Yamamoto hints are deliberate. I have my bias, okay. Any Tsuna/Yamamoto hints are slightly less deliberate but also my bias. Yamamoto is my fandom bicycle, so... 'Scuze me.

The bell rings, and Tsuna feels Yamamoto's breath leak out of his lungs. They blink at the same time. Tsuna feels the loss of a mother he never had who had always worried about his interest in the blades of the kitchen and the war. Yamamoto felts the distance between him and a father not his own, one who had barely visited twice in Tsuna's memories. They feel the warmth of soothing flames twining together linger in their marrow. They want to sleep, to collapse beneath the blankets in Yamamoto's room and smell the spices in Nana's cooking as she begins making dinner again.

But the day outside is bright and class is calling them back. Hibari is also, although he looks this close to throwing a tonfa to end the situation right then and there.

"Let's head back," Tsuna says without much thought. Yamamoto nods and grins like he's happy. Hibari gives a noncommittal grunt even as he shifts to stand back up from where he's rested against the lockers. It is one of the first casual uses of his leadership, and Giotto is bright as he floats behind him. It's a small step but it's so much more than yesterday.

They head back to class and just miss Ryohei who bounds into the playground with high hopes to find the strength he'd felt.

The day passes by slowly, the boys feeling the foreign warmth still lick their bones. The feeling was addicting and the intimacy a little too easy. Tsuna sorts through the memories as he pays little attention to the lessons now that he can feel the understanding rising up.

It was fun to revisit who his new friends were. And he did consider them friends now that they'd seen inside each other. Little things like how Yamamoto wasn't fond of most meat besides fish and rare steak, how Hibari adored hamburger steak and still got fussy over green peppers were so familiar feeling it was a little hard to say those weren't his own tastes. In turn their losses felt like his own too, the fake smiles that had grown on Yamamoto's face the day he'd lost his mother, the distaste Hibari felt for alcohol with the way it changed his parents.

These things made Tsuna want to keep them close. Take away what hurt them and feed them good food. Maybe his mother would start teaching him in earnest if he asked...

The back of his mind wondered how many more people he would hold so close. At how they has been untouchable just yesterday and now they felt irreversibly part of him.

So wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn't notice Giotto had drifted out the window, eyes watching the boy who resembled Knuckle run around the grounds, fists alight with yellow flames as he chased what must be bullies around.

ooo

Finally out of the building that had housed him for years now, Mukuro breathed in the air and planned. Then he felt the flames come rushing back and he carefully sat down, focusing this time. Ken and Chikusa watched him curiously as foreign flames decorated his arms, but didn't say anything.

This time the Sky flames were back with Rain flames. Oh, this sky was a fast worker, or at least had a fair amount of coincidence on their side. The combining soothing nature of both flames was making this difficult. Drawing in the memories that were being exchanged, he caught names. Sawada Tsunayoshi, Yamamoto Takeshi, Hibari Kyouya, Namimori in Japan. Some of the memories filtered through and he hissed lowly. Sealing the flames of a child... His sky was connected to something big, and in such a way they deemed his strength a liability. Unacceptable.

But they were obviously back, so Mukuro filed it away for another time. A few images of the kids passed by and he paused. Opening his eyes with new info in his grasp, Mukuro let out a thin smirk.

"Before we head to Namimori, I have a stop I have to make."

"Sure, Mukuro. Where to?"

"Hmm... It will be risky, but I need to get into the Vongola's headquarters."

"Kakipi! That's suicidal!"

"Only I will be going inside. You two can wait for me while I get what I need. Oh, and remind me to help you with learning Japanese..."

ooo

"I'm telling you, Lambo needs to go to Nihon!"

"What would a brat like you need to got to Japan for? You're five, for god's sake! Traveling is out of the question, Mafia or not!"

"But they're calling for Lambo!"

"Who would be calling for you-" Lampo paused, watching Lambo brighten as blue and orange flames suddenly decorated his hands. "Oh. Oh no, no no! You are five, your sky can't be calling for you!"

"He can too! Can't you hear him?"

"That's not how it works kid. Anyway, he probably has no idea how old you are. He's got to be what, twenty-?"

"He's nine, for your information! And his hair is weird. All sticky-outy and pointy. Lambo's afro is much better."

"Oh that's just great, he's a brat too. I'm telling you it's too risky for a five year old to stow away. Besides, surely your father doesn't want you going across the world just for a nine year old."

"Father says it's fine. Look, he even gave Lambo the ten year bazooka!" Rooting around in his hair, Lambo pulled out the bazooka and grinned wildly. "I know! I'll get my older self and he'll tell you to let me go!"

"Lambo, oh my god no-" But Lambo had already used the weapon, and it swallowed him with a boom. Staring at the bazooka, Lampo started pulling on his hair. Out of the smoke came a coughing body, lanky and with hair just like Lampo's.

"What... Oh. It's Lampo-jiji. This is the first time I've been brought back so... Ah." Standing up swiftly, the fifteen year old Lambo dusted himself off. "What's up, old man."

"Okay, I've seen weirder things happen. I guess. Maybe. But anyway! Your sky is calling you and you're five. I'm not letting you go!"

"Aww, but Lampo-jiji, it's important we go. Giotto-jiji is there and waiting for you."

"Giotto- You're kidding me. Lambo's sky is his descendant, isn't he."

"You catch on fast! I totally forgot about that. Yeah, Tsuna-nii is technically his real heir. Not that either of them approve of the whole mafia thing."

"If I don't take you- I mean younger you over there, then what will happen?"

"I dunno, because you did. Will. Ugh, this is hard. My best guess is... Tsuna-nii comes over here early with the rest of his guardians and wrecks havoc accidentally while trying to find younger me? Yeah, that sounds right. They almost did it for Mukuro when he got in trouble with the Vindice. Fun times!"

"This is going to be so troublesome," Lampo moaned, scrubbing his face with both hands. "Fine, I don't care anymore, I'll do it. At least I can blame Giotto when it all goes to shit."

"That's true. Oops, my time is up!" And in a poof of pink smoke, Lambo was switched back into his younger self. Which had a grape lollipop and a smug grin in his chubby face. Lampo paused. He considered the differences ten years could give- a confidence he'd never seen in the younger version was a definite plus. The pride he took in his family. And how happy they'd managed to make the younger version in just five minutes.

"We're going because otherwise your sky will cause trouble, and ONLY because of that. Got it, brat?"

"Lambo understands!"

ooo

Chrome glanced down at her now shining hands, gulping. Namimori was where she had to go. She mentally counted the meager funds she'd hidden in her pillow case and knew she had just enough fare for a one way trip. Tomorrow, she promised herself. She could only hope the boys she'd seen would be kind enough to allow her to sleep in one of their houses.

Elena cupped her flame covered hands and smiled at her encouragingly. They'd be going together.

ooo

Gokudera had finally managed to sneak away from Shamal with the pair haired ghost whose name he'd learned was G. As in, G, the right hand man to the founder of the Vongola. He had thought the man's hair was more... red, than pink, but well. Whatever.

"Do you know why I'd suddenly know where my Sky is?"

"Well. It looks like they've figured out how to synchronize with their prospective guardians. It's essentially shaking hands with your flames activated and then memories are shared. Considering how few people know about that, either they're deep in the Mafia, or they've stumbled on it accidentally."

"Well, he's in Japan. I have a hard time imagining he knows anything about the world he's being shoved into. He's got no idea, I'm sure. I need to go warn him-"

"Listen, kid, you're way too young to join up with your Sky. Why are you so eager to join them?"

"He's my age, so what does age got to do with it?"

"Urgh." Pinching the bridge of his nose, G sighed. "Listen, you don't even know his name-" But G paused as Gokudera's hads lit with orange and blue flames, and he groaned. Watching Gokudera's face, G noticed the admiration creep over his face, the sudden tightness of his mouth, the moment his face flushed and he started to shake his head like a dog. Waiting until the flames faded, G waited for him to speak.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi. That's his name. And... Giotto?" G perked up at that name, eyes narrowing. "Oh, he's a ghost too. And there's also his cloud, Hibari Kyouya, and his... rain..." Gokudera flushed again, clearing his throat. "Yamamoto Takeshi. Their flames are just so strong. I have to go." Looking G straight in the eyes, his eyes wide. He recognized that look- he's seen it in the mirror when Giotto's flames had first called for him. The beginnings of an addiction, of a family. "I don't care what you say, I'm going."

"Even if you no longer get to ask me questions about UMAs?" G watched Gokudera swallow, teeth latching into the side of his cheek.

"Even then."

"Okay. Then I'll help you. We're going to have to be smart about this then, that Shamal is one crafty bastard and he owes your sister enough that he'll try just about anything to keep you at his side for at least another few years. What do you say to..."

ooo

Stretching when the final bell rung, Tsuna sighed as a kink in his neck popped quietly. Getting up, he glanced at Yamamoto who was gathering up his things. Catching his eye, Tsuna gave a tentative smile. Yamamoto froze for a second before grinning back and picking up the pace. Tsuna stuffed his own materials away and stood up to head for the door.

"Aww, he likes you. Well, I guess that's expected. Getting two guardians in one day is pretty great, but I think there's one more for you to grab before we go home."

"What do you mean one more?" Tsuna asked quickly, eyes narrowing. "Isn't this going by too fast? It feels a little rushed, like someone is trying to cram a bunch of characters together in the shortest amount of time. I don't think either of them have agreed to being a guardian either..."

"It comes with the deep synchronizing. Even if they don't know it yet they'll come around. And so will you!"

"You're a real meddling too-many-greats-grandpa, aren't you?"

"All grandparents are!" Giotto giggled as Yamamoto finally caught up to them at the door, bouncing on the soles of his feet.

"Wanna walk home, Tsuna?"

"If it's okay with you?"

"Yep!"

"Do you think Hibari will want to come with us?" Tsuna asked before he realized what he'd said.

"I don't do crowds," Came a voice behind him, making Tsuna jump high into the air with a high pitched screech of surprise. Clutching the cloth over his heart, Tsuna turned around to face a blank faced but... slightly amused Hibari?

"Three people isn't a crowd! Just a small group!" Yamamoto pointed out, grin growing on his face.

"Tch." Hibari glanced away for a second, and then a tiny smirk grew on his face. "Ah. Ryohei is loitering on the grounds. I'll bite him to death soon."

"H-huh?! Is he breaking a rule?" Hibari shrugged at this, eyes gleaming wickedly. Yamamoto hummed.

"Ah, it's because he's strong. Don't worry about it Tsuna!"

"But still..." Eyeing Ryohei's obviously energetic form, Tsuna sighed. "How about you just ask him to fight?"

"No need."

"That's rude, Hibari. At least let me warn him?"

"If you must." That was as close to consent as Tsuna was going to get. Nodding, Tsuna dashed out the door with Yamamoto at his heels.

When they neared Ryohei, they noticed his punches were... glowing. Yellow flickered around his boxing gloves as he practiced the motions, hopping from side to side with each punch.

"Oh no," Tsuna moaned. Giotto just laughed above him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been rewarding myself with Cookies and Cream cookie butter between paragraphs. Sometimes sentences. Maybeee between a few words. Oh! I also found out that Psycho Pass was made by the same mangaka? Not that I've ever seen Psycho Pass, but I never would have guessed it. But really, Hibari looks enough like that one guy I really should have guessed it.
> 
> *pokes Kudos counter* One day you're gonna freeze, I just know it.


	7. Vitamin D(amn)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a faster update than last time? I think. Anyway here you go!

So. Ryohei Sasagawa was the holder of bright yellow flames. The color Giotto had informed Tsuna meant they were Sun Flames. This didn't mean much to Tsuna except more trouble. But... Just because Ryohei had flames didn't mean he was one of Tsuna's Guardians. Right? There had to be plenty of Sun Flame users around. Ryohei was probably just one of the many! Right?

"Oh that's adorable, I don't think he even knows he's using them! He looks just like Knuckles too- I think I've said that before..." Yeah, Giotto, you have.

Tsuna swallowed the growing panic in his throat and approached Ryohei. When his gaze flickered over to Tsuna, he stopped his punching and observed Tsuna with a wide smile but curious eyes. It was almost enough to make Tsuna break out in a cold sweat.

"Ryohei," Tsuna started after a moment of silence, "I was just going to tell you Hibari is thinking of... Fighting you. Just thought you ought to know."

"That is extremely honorable of you, Sawada! But I am used to his attacks. The burning will of his dedication to protecting Namimori is extreme!" Ryohei laughed, pounding his boxing gloves together. "When we enter middle school, he's going to join my boxing club!"

"I will do no such thing," Hibari added from behind Tsuna, making said boy scream in surprise and whirl around to face Hibari. He regarded Tsuna with a mostly blank face but the amusement on Alaude's face gave away his true feelings. "The disciplinary committee is in need of a thorough biting and a new alpha."

"That's not how wolves work," Tsuna said before he could stop himself. Hibari's eyebrows rose as he regarded Tsuna once more. Humming an agreement, he turned his eyes back to Ryohei.

"Hn." Hibari grasped one of his Tonfa tightly.

"Maah, don't start fighting with Tsuna in the way," Yamamoto pitched in from Tsuna's side, which made Tsuna jump even higher than when Hibari had done it. There was a level of expectation there, Giotto guessed. Hibari was known to be silent but deadly and Yamamoto was... well, not. There was a look in his eyes though that somehow left Giotto unsurprised.

Some would call that edge the makings of a natural born killer. Giotto knew better. That was the look of a natural protector, not unlike a dog. Killing just happened to be something that went hand in hand with that when your life got as complicated as Tsuna's was sure to be.

"It would be rather un-extreme to fight Sawada when he doesn't know how to fight." Something in Tsuna sank at those words. It was true- he had no formal or even attempts of training anything resembling defending himself. Instincts and intuition were one thing but in something as straightforward as Boxing he wouldn't last a minute.

"He's learning," Is all Hibari said before throwing himself at Ryohei.

Tsuna would like to know when he'd started learning, exactly.

Yamamoto laughed at the proceedings and tugged Tsuna gently over to a tree. Letting himself be lead under the shade, Tsuna watched with wide eyes and the two boys gave and received blows with grace. It was almost like a dance. What was that word...

"It's like it was choreographed!" Giotto crooned. Yamamoto cocked his head to the side at the new word. "Y'know, how they plan dancing and things. Such fights are uncommon because of the level of trust and patience they require. But this isn't quite like that?"

"They just know each other very well." Admirably Tsuna did not jump when Alaude spoke up from above them. "Both fight to protect and for entertainment."

"Could you call this a fight for dominance?" Yamamoto asked, unable to tear his eyes away from the fight. " 'Cause Hibari protects Namimori and Ryohei fights bullies."

"No. They're equals."

Tsuna watched yellow meet purple flames and squinted. Those colors were... What did his mom call them? Complimentary?

"It's especially unusual for a Sun and a Cloud to get along so well. Maybe Ryohei is your Sun!"

"Do you think he would've felt a pull like I did?" Yamamoto was quite curious today. It was a little surprising considering his track record in class.

"I thought you just came because you saw the flames?"

"Well, that too, but it was like something was pulling me in toward you. Ryohei was still in class then. I think I remember him heading to recess even more excited than usual when we were going in."

"Oh my gosh," Tsuna whispered, entranced as Ryohei landed a solid punch to Hibari's side. "That's two out of three that are way too violent. At least you don't fight, right Yamamoto?"

"Not yet, but my old man said if I ever felt the right conviction he'd teach me how to use a sword! He's like the eighth generation of some weird style. I'm gonna ask him to teach me when I get home."

"Oh no," Tsuna moaned pathetically. "Why must potential guardians be so violent?"

"But aren't we already your guardians, except Ryohei?"

"...Eh?" Finally ripping his eyes away from the fight, Tsuna gaped at Yamamoto. "You want to be?"

"Being around you is super interesting and it's only day one so why wouldn't I?"

"W-well, I mean... It sounds dangerous. I don't want to you to be hurt because of me, Yamamoto. Or anyone else for that matter."

"I chose this though so it'll be my fault, not yours. Problem solved!"

"That's not how it works..." Gaze drifting back to the fight, Tsuna cringed when Hibari swiped and managed to clip Ryohei's shoulder. 

Luckily it seemed the fight was almost over as both children were panting heavily. They circled each other for a bit before relaxing out of their ready positions and sinking to the ground to breathe.

Tsuna rushed forward to check on them, not even noticing when he held tight to Yamamoto's sleeve and dragged him with him. 

Squatting eye to eye with Hibari, Tsuna tilted his head an inspected him. He had little idea of how to go about checking somebody, but Hibari didn't seem to be favoring anything like it was hurt before rubbing what was sure to be a bruise on his left forearm.

"You okay?" Tsuna asked softly, hesitating to reach out and touch the injury. Hibari grunted something along the lines of an affirmation and stood up. Tsuna stood up but a second later and turned to Ryohei instead, trusting Hibari to know if he was truly hurt or not.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asked the upperclassman a touch more commandingly as he sunk to his knees beside him. "I saw Hibari hit your shoulder. Do you need ice? A doctor?"

"It was a good fight! I'll fix myself up when I get home, Sawada. Don't worry about it."

"But I am worried!" Tsuna insisted, no longer able to keep his hands to himself. Slightly prodding the area with his fingers, he felt sickly triumphant when Ryohei flinched back and hissed. "See, you should let me fix that."

"No need! I heal fast!" Pulling the shoulder of his sleeve down, Ryohei let Tsuna watch with wide eyes as yellow flames enveloped the mark and made the bruise color and then fade in a very short period of time. "See?"

"Did you make the yellow flames do that? That's pretty cool," Tsuna breathed before catching himself. "I- I mean!"

"So you can see them too? That's extreme! Hibari started seeing them about a week ago too."

"I can see them now too!" Yamamoto piped in, poking the unbruised flesh. "Thanks to Tsuna that is."

"It wasn't thanks to me! I don't think..." Yes, it was more likely to have been Giotto's fault than anyone elses. Giotto's giggling behind them proved it.

"That's also extreme! What color are yours, Sawada?"

"Well, Orange, I guess. Why?"

"Can I see them?" There was something more serious in Ryohei's tone now and Tsuna felt himself tense.

"...Alright?" Focusing of that familiar feeling of pride and drive to protect, Tsuna watched his hands alight with orange. "There we go, so wh-"

"Fight me!"

"No, oh my god no, I already fought Hibari today what is wrong with you-"

"You fought Hibari and aren't harmed? Extreme! I've underestimated you, Sawada!" Sighing out his nose, Tsuna worried what this would mean.

"At this point just Tsuna seems fine, Ryohei."

"Okay Tsuna! Let's shake on it."

"Uhm, Okay-" And that was how Tsuna and Ryohei accidentally synchronized without either of their ghosts helping. To be fair, Tsuna hadn't noticed Ryohei had activated his flames and Ryohei had no idea it would do... this.

Oh yeah. Knuckles had taken to following Ryohei around a LONG time ago. Something about being a priest or something had allowed him to follow around many of his sisters line which led all the way down to Ryohei and Kyoko. It just so happened today he's stuck with Kyoko and had no idea about what was going on at this very moment.

Arising from his third synchronization of the day disoriented and now much more enthusiastic about punching things, Tsuna decided he was going to nap. Maybe right there outside the front of the school. Except, wait, Hibari was still here and potential guardian or not he was going to defend his territory. So he should wait, probably.

Ryohei realized he should probably talk to his family ghost about Tsuna, and also Giotto who seemed to be his former Sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone who can guess how Asari's gonna show up gets a cookie! Just throwing that out there.
> 
> This fic is officially getting too much Kudos for my brain to grasp. This is now my second most kudos'd fic which is AMAZING and also terrifying??


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *jazz hands* I keep getting Kudo and I keep dyingggg SO HERE'S ANOTHER QUICK CHAPTER
> 
> Please give NemesisNecrosis a round of applause because they totally guessed part of how Asari is gonna show up in the chapter! 
> 
> I should note that Japan is... seven hours ahead of Italy, which means if they're getting out of school at... Let's say three, it's eight in the morning in Italy. Which means Mukuro has basically been up since just past midnight doing his thing, as well as Gokudera and Lambo too. The reason they're still awake in because flames are very energizing, or at least that's my excuse.
> 
> Did you know Tsuyoshi was born on April Fool's day? Haaha!

"Wow," Giotto choked out while trying to hold back a laugh. He even had his hand hovering over his mouth as if that would help contain his mirth. "I didn't even need to do anything!"

Alaude narrowed his eyes and eyed Giotto warily. "Stop playing with your descendants."

"I'll stop when you do!"

"...Hn."

"That's right. You're no better than me. I've seen how far spread you've made the Hibari family name spread!"

"And all you did was try and keep them out of the mafia business and keep the family small. How well did that work out for you?"

While Ryohei and Tsuna were recovering from their synchronization and weren't able to hear what the ghosts were saying, Hibari and Yamamoto were. They stared at the ghosts as they spoke and became aware of just how little they knew about the wills of ghosts that had been lingering on this earth for hundreds of years.

Glancing at each other, their eyes spoke volumes. Eventually, they shrugged. Life was far more interesting when the ghosts were in it. Besides, what was the worse that could happen? They turned into ghosts as well? Pfft.

Besides. Just one look at Tsuna as the flames flickered on his skin was enough to remind them why it wouldn't hurt to stick around. Tsuna would need them, as they would need him. One day.

Though whether he would need them because of a destiny to save the world or because he'd choke on his own spit without them, neither could say.

ooo

Gokudera felt warmth creep up the base of his spine and bolted for the bathroom before Shamal could ask.

He had just locked the stall when Sun and Sky flames started to creep on his skin. Knees shaking, he managed to sit on the toilet as new memories and power rushed through him. Barely registering as he slumped back against the wall, Gokudera marinated in the warmth.

G watched his descendant curiously and yellow and orange flames licked his skin. Little things began to heal under the flames, dark circles and little burn marks from his lighter no longer marring his skin.

It was quite impressive but also very worrying.

Considering Gokudera had yet to meet this sky he was having a drastically greater reaction to the flames. Or... Perhaps the flames were getting stronger. Skies grew stronger with more followers, but this was just getting ridiculous.

If Gokudera was right this would be mere the third guardian to join with Tsuna. Although it was happening awfully fast...

As the last of the flames faded from Gokudera's skin, G said, "You'd better hope your sky doesn't find another guardian while we're on the flight over."

"It's not likely anyone from the mafia will be on the flight with us as long as we give Shamal the proper slip," Gokudera muttered mulishly as he stretched. His tone wasn't able to disguise the relaxed grin that had spread across his face.

"Perhaps not, but if your reactions keep growing we'll be lucky if you don't hit puberty early." G snarked, grinning roguishly as Gokudera flushed. "Be on your guard. Having to dash to the bathroom has complicated things... I doubt Shamal is going to be keen to let you run off again so soon."

"I can just say I thought I saw my sister. That always works."

"You'd better hope so. We're already at the airport and Shamal is being jumpier than I expected."

ooo

Mukuro watched mutely as Sun and Sky flames began to crawl over his body, relieve aches he'd forgotten were there. Breathing in shakily, he tried not to be completely sucked in to the entrancing warmth. 

"You doing okay boss?"

"Yes, it's just another... message from my Sky."

"I do wonder how they're getting their flames to you when you said they're all the way in Japan..."

"He is powerful. More than enough to help us with our goal." Glancing coldly at the area surrounding the Vongola mansion, he sighed. "And if I'm correct, he has more birthright to the Vongola rings than any other. Not that he knows it."

"A bloody and terrible burden," Chikusa whispered, eyes never leaving the invisible line between the mansion's territory and the rest of the world.

"Hn. But he would tear it down with us, if given the proper motivation."

"Scary guy. How old is he again, Boss?"

"Nine."

"Ehh! He's young!"

"So are we, Ken. Now hurry up and rest with me while Chikusa is on watch. We'll need our strength..."

ooo

Chrome was in her room when Sun and Sky flames twined over her to heal the bruises and aches. Elena followed their path with her fingers and eyes, silently approving of their journey. Chrome smiled and turned over to sleep while she could.

ooo

Lambo sneezed as the flames washed over him, tickling him enough that he laughed in his seat. Lampo groaned and darted his gaze around to make sure no one was watching. On the off chance there were other who could see flames they'd have a real problem.

"Lambo wants Takoyaki," The boy grumbled, "Not water and crackers."

"Do I want to know what Takoyaki is?" Lampo asked warily.

"Octopus balls!"

"Oh, good. Is it like Calamari?"

"Only better!" There was barely a moment's pause before Lambo said, "Lambo wants a grape lollipop."

"You have one of those in your birdsnest of a hairstyle."

"Oh!" Rooting through it, Lambo looked pleased at the discovery. "You're a good guy! I'm gonna call you Lampo-jiji from now on!"

"And so it begins," Lampo groaned.

ooo

Tsuna was dangerously sleepy after his synchronization with Ryohei. Dangerously in that... Well...

"No, Tsuna, that's the street! Wait, no, trying to lean on Hibari isn't any better- that's a pole don't-!" Yamamoto was having a hard time trying to guide Tsuna around. The fact Tsuna kept avoid his grasp wasn't helping at all. Ryohei managed to grab his arm and guide him around the pole just in time. Yamamoto sighed happily. "Thanks, Ryohei."

"You're welcome! Tsuna sure is lively though. Are you sure he's half asleep?"

"Yes," Everyone else said as one just as Tsuna tripped over his own two feet and onto Yamamoto's back.

"Yama...tomo? Can't I just nap... h-"

"Come on, my house ain't too far from here! I'll let you nap there." Tsuna grumbled his mixed feelings and staggered back to his feet, shuffling forward in the middle of the group.

"But home..."

"I'll inform Nana," Hibari volunteered suddenly, eyeing Tsuna. "You rest."

Tsuna turned to look at him, pausing his steps to look for something in Hibari's face. When he found it, his own face lit up. "Oh. Thanks Hibari," And with that he stretched up on his tiptoes and pressed his cheek to Hibari's cheek.

The group froze, unsure of what to do. Was this...a hug? A weird kiss? Some form of affection they hadn't heard about?

Hibari stood there stiffly for a moment as he took in the softness that was Sawada Tsunayoshi. The fluffy brown locks that were tickling his nose, the soft babyfat that clung to Tsuna's cheek, the sleep warm aura that he exuded... Then he relaxed his shoulders and pushes Tsuna back as gently as he could.

"No problem." And then he was gone, rushing off in the direction of Tsuna's house. There was another moment of silence that lingered, Tsuna now trying his best to head in the direction of Yamamoto's house.

The silence was broken by Giotto's wail.

"Tsuna's too young to be a heartbreaker!"

"You're too old to be jumping to conclusions," Alaude muttered as he was dragged off by the invisible tie he had to Hibari.

Other than that though, the walk to Takesushi was fairly quiet and uneventful. Ryohei and Yamamoto did have to half carry Tsuna most of the way though.

"Welcome to- Takeshi! Are these your friends?"

"Yeah! The sleepy one is Tsuna and this is Ryohei. I'm gonna go get them settled in!" And they were gone before Tsuyoshi could ask anything else. Left blinking behind the counter, he chuckled.

This was the first time Yamamoto had brought friends home instead of just to the storefront. Even though he'd never heard Yamamoto speak fondly of them he was glad to know Yamamoto was starting to find real friends.

That said... Tsuyoshi could tell there was something a bit more sudden that had brought the friends together. He had his suspicions but, well. It was just nice to see his son look so happy.

Tsuna collapsed on the pillow when his friends let go of him. A soft sigh left his lips and he knew no more.

"That was extremely fast," Ryohei's voice was lowered but not quite whispering. Yamamoto nodded.

"Wanna play a game while we wait for him to wake up?"

"Sure! What kind?"

"Hmm... What about that new JJBA fighting game? My dad bought it for me but I haven't had a chance to play it."

"That sounds extreme!" Yamamoto felt some sort of mirth bubbling up in him at the way Ryohei said 'extreme', like it was his catchphrase or something.

"I'll go get it then!" Because like all the games the Yamamoto family possessed, it was stored in the hall closet along with quite a few other things that needed to be out of sight.

When he opened the closet door, polished wood caught his eye before he could even think about the game. Looking down, he saw a flute resting against the corner.

"Hmm? I didn't know we had a flute." Gently picking it up, Yamamoto inspected it. "It look old too. Meh, back to the ga-"

"Please don't throw that down, it's my favorite one." Yamamoto froze with a smile on his face. The voice had come from behind him and was completely unfamiliar.

"I wasn't going to throw it..." He said slowly as he placed the flute back down. Straightening back up, he turned around to meet the gaze of Asari. "Oooh, are you a ghost too?"

"Of course I am. Technically I'm your family ghost. Wait... You've met others?"

"Mm-hmm! Let's see, I've met a blond one who's kinda goofy called Giotto, and a stricter one with even lighter blond hair called Alaude-"

"Excellent!" Asair clapped his hands together and let out a small laugh. "The Vongola are getting back together, it seems."

"What's the Bong-oh-la?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If any of you perchance WANT to talk to me about this fic I would like to direct you to either my fic blog ficswithpricks.tumblr.com OR my twitter @phne_demi because I am a narcissist about my fics just like anyone else and I'd love to talk about what I think/am doing/will be doing. We can even haggle over characterization, plot devices, and any characters you want to see come in. (I promise you they're not all in the tags right now though because... spoilers.)
> 
> Should I get an ask.fm ? I dunno. I'm not that popular...


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS OFFICIALLY MY MOST KUDOS'D FIC AND I'M HYPERVENTILATING INTO MY KEYBOARD BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE MY MOST SHIT CHAPTER YET
> 
> I'm afraid this chapter is going to be less "haaha!" and more "plot is almost hERE HURRY UP AND STAY STILL" but who knows. (hint: not me)

Chilly air stings Tsuna's nose with each breath, and he swallows. This... He knows this isn't somewhere he knows. Lifting himself up, he cracks his eyes open to dim light and the silhouette of a girl opposite him on this threadbare mattress.

Straightening fully, Tsuna nervously eyes the figure. "H-hello?" He manages, one hand twisting at his free index finger nervously.

"Hello... Uhm." The girl scoots forward a bit, letting the strands of light illuminate her face. She is younger than him, and just as nervous. "I'm N- Chrome." There is a pause as she takes a shuddering breath and Tsuna wonders what she was going to say before she cut off. "I prefer Chrome. And you are?"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi. I prefer Tsuna." He scoots closer himself, uncertain if she can see him. Her eyes gleam with some sort of recognition. "Is this a dream? I just... remember falling asleep in my friend's bed before I got here."

"It feels like a dream," Chrome agrees, twirling a long piece of hair that hangs limply around her face. "Are you the Tsuna that's my Sky?"

"Probably. I don't know any other Tsuna's that have Sky flames, but I don't have too many friends. Are you one of my Weathers?" His hand reaches forward instinctively and brushes against her knuckles with orange flames. Her hand grows limp, letting go of the hair.

"I'm a Mist according to Mrs Elena. What do illusions and mind tricks have to do with the weather?"

"No one's told me. Honestly I wanna know what the sky has to do with leadership and dying will myself. I kinda just found out today and Giotto hasn't been awfully helpful."

"Ghosts probably like being mysterious. It's kind of boring though?"

"Maybe they're worried it'll be even more boring if they just tell us? Some people just aren't good at telling stories."

"You're probably right." Chrome nodded her head as she said that and glanced around the room nervously. "Do you want me as your Mist?"

"Why not? We seem to be getting along great. And you seem a lot saner than the others." Chrome silently giggled behind her hand then, and Tsuna admired the indigo flames that danced around her closed eyes. "Besides, is there a limit on how many you can have? Like, there are soooo many clouds in the sky, but only one sun. And does rain count as the raindrops? Because I dunno if I can handle that many Yamamoto's." Chrome adopted a pensive look for a moment before finally laughing loudly at the thought of a crowd of baseball enthused children vying for Tsuna's attention.

"Not technically, no," A voice mused from behind Tsuna, and he glanced behind him in a much calmer manner than he felt, eyeing the boy that was floating dramatically over the end of the mattress. His smile was as wide as a Cheshire's, but thinner than a razor blade. "But many bosses don't feel they can handle more than one of each on a personal level. Mists especially so."

"That's kind of stupid. You don't get to exclude your friends." Tsuna says before he can stop himself, swallowing as the last word left his lips. The boy's eyes gleamed and his smile grew lax and more sincere. "Wait... did you say bosses?"

"Ah, if only they saw it like you." The boy drifted above Tsuna then, settling himself just to the side of the space between Tsuna and Chrome. "I knew I made the right choice answering your siren call."

"Ah, excuse me, about the boss thing-"

"You heard it too, didn't you, dear Chrome?"

"Ah-" Her eyes flickered to the pouting Tsuna, and back to the mirthful Mukuro, and sighed. "Well, yes... If you mean his flames washing over my skin and making me feel safe for the first time in a very long time. I've never felt anything so welcoming," Chrome confessed. "Which is why I'm going to Namimori by bus tomorrow."

"The boss- Wait, what? How do you know where I am?"

"Oh, didn't you know? Your flames have been reaching for the rest of your guardians."

"I thought so, but, how far away are you? Surely you can't be that far for my flames to reach-" Mukuro started cackling, falling on his back and wheezing through every couple of howls of laughter. Chrome eyed him worriedly for a moment before turning to Tsuna.

"I'm in Tokyo. I don't know about Mukuro."

"All that way in Tokyo?!" Tsuna had no idea why Mukuro started rolling and clutching his sides when he said that. Chrome shrugged at him. "Are you sure it's okay for you to come all the way to Namimori?"

"Whether it's okay or not is debateable. All I know is it's probably going to be much better than my life right now."

"Better than now... What's going on, Chrome? What's wrong?" Tsuna leaned over Mukuro's slightly flailing legs to grasp her hands firmly. "Who's hurting you?"

"They're not hurting me, exactly. My parents just don't particularly want me. It's... a burden to their careers. So if I go to Namimori, it's better all around." Chrome took a deep breath in, eyes faintly shining with unshed stress fueled tears. "If you want me around?"

"Mama and I would love to have you," Tsuna said before he even had to think about it, reassuringly squeezing Chrome's hands. She gave him a small smile and squeezed back just a tad stronger. Tsuna didn't notice the room transform around them into his own room which was much warmer and open. The pile of blankets in the corner looked less lonesome now.

Mukuro had straightened up at some point, watching the two interact curiously. His smile had only faded slightly, still too wide, now close lipped. His hands curled halfway into fists at his sides, grasping at air. Tsuna glanced at him and the smile grew wider.

"Does that offer extend to me and whoever else is heading your way?" Mukuro crooned playfully, fingers lacing neatly in his lap.

"As long as they want to be my friend," Tsuna said firmly, extending a hand in Mukuro's direction. Mukuro stared at the hand for a moment before he grasped it like it would disappear when he let go.

"You're too lax, Tsunayoshi. What if we expect you to do something awful as our friend?"

"It's Tsuna," He insisted. "And I'll understand when you get here and we synchronize. We can sort it out then, right?"

"Synchronize?"

"I'll explain once you get here. Hey, do you have a ghost Mukuro?"

"Oddly enough, I don't. Considering I'm by far the most creepy of your guardians, I'm kind of surprised."

"You don't know all of them. Even I don't know all of them!"

"But none will be creepier than I! Especially since my illusions are real."

"How's that work?" Chrome asked with bright curiousity.

"Well-"

o~o~o

Asari had easily joined his old group in chatter Ryohei and Yamamoto didn't particularly care about. At some point Knuckles had appeared at Ryohei's side and gotten excited about meeting his ghost friends again, which didn't calm Ryohei's enthusiasm at all. Hibari had even come back at some point to check on Tsuna, not that he'd admit it, and had ended up staying to watch the pixel carnage ensue. So Alaude was stuck here as well.

As the boys started laughing, hissing, and howling at the screen, the ghosts drifted upwards and out of the room entirely to lounge on the roof.

"I must admit, I didn't think so many of us would be sticking around as ghosts. Especially for so long," Asari murmured, hands absently polishing his flute against his yukata. "I'm the family ghost so it's somewhat expected. But you three... Why?"

"I make sure the Hibari name grows unhindered." Alaude grunted, watching the sun as it's edge hovered just above the horizon. "It was more fulfilling than I'd first thought."

"My sister's family has a penchant for getting into trouble! It's the least I could do to keep them safe and faithful."

"..." Giotto had yet to say anything, watching the others with cool eyes. Alaude grunted when he didn't answer quick enough, and Asari's smile grew sharp. Knuckles breathed steadily and waited too patiently for his answer.

"Did you know we aren't bound by time?" Giotto laughed, running a hand through his blond locks. Alaude's eyes narrowed. "I've gone back and forth a lot because it's fun. The future is harder to see but I've managed glimpses. I haven't gone much further than this, maybe a decade or so, but the future is astoundingly bright. And it's all because of my Tsuna."

"I highly doubt it's all his fault," Knuckles let out a small chuckle, and Giotto nodded with him.

"Not all his work, yes, but as far as the Mafia goes..." He sighed through his nose here. "It's a mess guys. I should never had let Secondo boot me off the throne. The Vongola is no longer what we made it to be, no matter the most recent efforts to change. But with Tsuna, everything will get better."

"You're saying he'll do what you couldn't? He's but a child, not even in the double digits."

"That's precisely why. I hadn't the guidance of someone who'd done it before, hadn't the drive this early on. But most of all... I'd never been isolated from my flames."

"They did what," Knuckles intoned slowly, eyes wide and gleaming with barely repressed fury.

"For half his life until today they'd sealed his flames away. The pent up energy and harsh life has made them grow exponentially but at a great cost. The worst part is, I don't know why his father allowed it." Giotto turned to face all of his present guardians. "The code that we followed as flame users is all but forgotten now. Some are rediscovering the fundamentals and following them, but most don't care about it beyond fighting. We must trust our descendents to fix these things with our help, if you'll help me that is."

"Of course," Asari whispered, hands gripping his flute firmly.

"You already know I will." Alaude muttered lowly.

"It's my duty!" Knuckles agreed with several nods.

"Then remember these are not just children. They are our descendents, the ones who will do better than we did if we help them along. They need to know how to fight now. That's why Tsuna's getting his guardians so quickly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does anyone else thing "Colors" by Halsey would make a totally deep awesome AMV for this fandom? No? Just me...? I'm very tired
> 
> I'm deeply sorry for the delay of this chapter. My computer is broken and I am very busy crying over JJBA. (You can tell, because I slipped one of the games in both last chapter AND this chapter. ...I have no idea when this fic takes place but thankfully from 1993 one there's been a steady supply of titles and we're gonna get a new one soon! I can't wait for EoH)


	10. Rings of Fear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it to ten chapters wowie guys. Wowie.
> 
> I woulda done it sooner, if not for my scattered interests and broken computer! But the more important thing is I've done it now. Also, the kudos counter must be broken, I can't believe I've got so much kudos for this holy-

When Tsuna wakes, the sky is already starting to Darken. Ryohei and Yamamoto are trying to break a tie- or maybe just arguing over which character was better? Whatever. Sitting up with a pleasant smile on his face Tsuna thought back to his dream.

'That went well,' he thought, before freezing.

Wait... Chrome was coming tomorrow! And he'd forgotten to ask when! Oh my gosh, at least it was a saturday. And who knows when Mukuro and the rest were coming. He had to tell Giotto, and maybe his mom! Though how to let her know...

To be honest, she'd probably just be so ecstatic Tsuna was having friends over she wouldn't question why. Just what they liked to eat.

"Where's Giotto?"

"On the roof with the other ghosts," Hibari grumbled from his perch. Which was a barstool that had somehow wound up in Yamamoto's room probably around the same time he had.

"They think they're being sneaky," Ryohei said, rolling his eyes with a slight grin. "Adults are so weird."

"Yeah... But I kind of need him. Chrome is coming tomorrow and I need to go home!" Sitting up, Tsuna rubbed furiously at his eyes. "I gotta get a spare futon out, and-"

"Wait, who's Chrome?" Oh, right.

"One of my Mists. She's very nice and she's gonna live in my house for a while." No matter what she said, he wouldn't let her fend for herself.

"How come a girl gets to sleepover and we don't?"

"You will one day! But, my mom isn't ready for guests today..."

"That's not the point, Ryohei. Anyway, You get more than one? That's so cool! What do Mists do, anyway?"

"Mind things like illusions and mind control, I think. That's what Mukuro said anyway."

"Your other Mist." Tsuna could have sworn Hibari pouted a little when he said that.

"Yeah. He's so weird though. When I said I was surprised Chrome could reach me all the way from Tokyo, he laughed! Like, what's that supposed to mean?"

Yamamoto scrunched up his nose before brightening. "Maybe he's even farther away!"

"Like Hokkaido!" Ryohei added, bouncing where he sat.

"Ehh? There's no way he's that far." Tsuna murmured.

"I dunno, maybe he's super strong." Hibari muttered, a slow wicked grin overtaking his face. "Let's fight him."

"What part of being friends do you not understand? Friends don't fight friends!" Tsuna practically wailed.

"Yeah! They spar with them! Sometimes they argue, too, but they always fix things. Sometimes with Sun flames."

"Ryohei, that wasn't the point!"

"Okay, so we'll spar instead. It'll be fun." The way Hibari said that last word made the hairs on the back of Tsuna's neck stand up.

"You don't have to worry about worthiness, y'know."

"Yeah! It's not like he's another Cloud."

"...Alaude says Mists are annoying."

"He's a cranky old man though. What does he know about someone he's never met?" Yamamoto said at least somewhat sagely, and Tsuna found himself nodding.

"True." Hibari grunted while eyeing the roof speculatively. "Adults can be stupid. But if he is annoying, I'm going to bite him to death."

"Mmm." Tsuna wasn't really paying attention at this point, leaning as far out the window as possible to try and see the ghosts. It wasn't working. "But I really gotta go guys!"

"Okay, okay, just lemme see you out. Don't worry about Giotto though! He's probably bound to you somehow but either way you'll end up seeing him soon."

o~o~o

Chrome wakes up with a shuddering breath, eyes automatically searching for Elena. Catching a glimpse of gold hair, she smiles.

"I met him, Elena!" She whispers excitedly, sitting up quickly. Elena turns to her with a questioning look. "My Sky! Tsunayoshi... He's waiting."

Elena smiles in relief and settles down next to Chrome. Running a hand through her hair, Elena asked, "Tell me about him?"

"Well..." Squirming so she sat up against her headboard, Chrome gathered her thoughts. "He was kind. A little overwhelmed, maybe, but... Mostly reliable. I also met another Mist that belongs to our- uhm. Famiglia?"

"That's right darling. Your Famiglia."

"Yes. I thought it was odd, at first, but then we figured the words used to label our powers are kind of weird anyway. Mist doesn't really belong to the sky anyway, does it? But I felt at home with Tsuna and Mukuro. We belong together, right?"

"Of course. That's why we're going to Namimori tomorrow, right?"

"Yes."

o~o~o

Mukuro awoke much later from his slumber though almost as though something had jolted him awake. Slapping a hand over the pulse in his neck, he breathed harshly. Yes, he was still here. Yes, the dream had happened. Yes, he'd finally met his sky.

And through all that, he'd found out a whole slew of new information to add to the pile. Tsuna had faint but lingering connections with the rest of his guardians, and Mukuro had investigated those thoroughly. At this rate he'd be the last to meet Tsuna.

Well, if he had to be last, he wasn't going to be exceptionally late.

"Change of plans. We're going to do this now."

"Are you sure Mukuro?"

"It's the evening, sure, but no one is asleep yet-"

"Don't worry, I'll fix everything up. We just need to hurry. Now, there are six rings to acquire..."

o~o~o

The illusion was simple in explanation but even now Mukuro could feel in steadily drawing on his power. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he stared down at Timoteo, ninth boss of the Vongola, one of the men who had somehow ignored what his blood had done.

Now was no time to cause a war. Well, anymore of a war than stealing the rings to give them to who in Mukuro's opinion was their rightful owner. He reaches out a hand covered in bright indigo only for it to disappear in a thick fog.

Looking up, he meet the eyes of Daemon who was smirking with fiendish curiosity at him.

Mukuro stares between the ring, and the ghost who looks too much like him. Swallowing, he feels the indigo flames on his hands rise to dispel the fog. The ghost smirks at him, and flames of the same color light on his own hands.

"What do we have here? A little mist attempting to take one of the most valuable parts of the Tri-Ni-Sette... and so close to success." The hairs rose on the back of Mukuro's neck as the man spoke those words. The Tri-Ni-Sette? There were still things he did not know about this world it seemed. Or perhaps... he had forgotten. "Whatever could spur a boy like you to come so far for a ring not attuned to your own flames?"

"You know as well as I that such answers cost far more than anything a spectre could give me. We are both Mists after all..." It was only during such times of duress Mukuro let the polished speech slip from his tongue. He hated revealing all the years he'd lived in his 'deaths'. But there was little as unnerving as a street urchin speaking smooth as aristocracy. That shock could very well save his life. Had, before.

"Ah, but like any Mist worth their salt, I can already guess it must be for your Sky. So odd to find one so young but perhaps that is why they were able to convince you to steal from those who will have the Vindice at your heels."

"They would never ask me to do such a thing." Yes, the boy that would lead him would never ask him to risk so much for anything, even this. 

"They rarely do, those poor Skies." The man's eyes flickered back to where Mukuro's hands hovered over the ring. "Surely you do not thing such a mediocre illusion will fool a Sky so old?"

"The weaving hasn't even begun yet, ghosty. Even with my powers running so low I know how to properly fool old eyes for some time, no matter how keen. The real question is- are you here to stop me?" His fingers started to clench before he forcefully straightened them back out. He hated that tell.

"I was going to but then you proved... interesting. Tell me boy, what is your name?"

"Names have power. Why don't you give me your first?"

"You honestly don't know who I am?"

"I don't have time for guessing games. It is nearly the end of my illusion!" He hissed, eyes focusing back on the ring.

"I am Daemon Spade, the so-called Mist guardian of the Vongola Primo. I've guided Vongola into what it is today."

"A place that would ignore another family under its jurisdiction toy with death and possession, what a great honor it must be. Rokudo Mukuro." Blinking, he thought about what Daemon had said. "Wait... Vongola Primo. You mean _you_ were Giotto's Mist?"

"To know his name and not my own... To put yourself at such risk for a ring that will not be yours... Who is your Sky?"

"Oh, I have a message for you from a lady named Elena. She thought I might meet you." He sees Daemon's hands clench and relax, and finds the mirrored tell granting him some boldness. "She's with Chrome, Tsuna's second mist. She said something about you being an idiot, and a frying pan, and coming to visit once in awhile. There might've been something about being ungrateful? I forgot."

When Daemon completely froze, Mukuro plowed on. "Sawada Tsunayoshi recently met Giotto, a man his forefather who had moved to Japan for peace. Giotto... Even I grudgingly admire him. Without him reawakening Tsunayoshi's flames, I never would have found him. My Sky. The one strong enough to take on the Mafia and fix things." Glancing up to meet Daemon's eyes, Mukuro hissed, "I will do whatever it takes to break the Mafia down brick by brick. But Tsunayoshi is mine. If I need to abandon this ring to keep him, I will find another way to take the Mafia down."

"He's got you wrapped around his little finger." There's supposed to be some amusement behind those words. But it isn't there.

"Think whatever you want! I need to know if you'll protect the ring or not."

"...If I could perhaps convince you to take the others as well, so I might tag along and meet Giotto again. Death changes people after all."

"Oh, you have no idea." Letting his flames roar back to life, Mukuro felt a replica of the ring settle in his palm. He had no plans of letting Daemon know he had already planned to do so. "But sure, why not. I'll certainly enjoy the extra power boost."

"...How young is the rest of your little group, anyway?"

"From what I've been able to figure out, I'm almost the same age as the oldest. Just a few months short. I'm ten in this body. I think. Probably?" Shaking his head, he sighed in relief as the old man didn't even snore as the replacement slid on. "My sky, Tsunayoshi, is nine. Most everyone else is nine, or about to be. Except Lambo. He's just turned Five."

"Never, in all my years have I seen... and across continents, to boot... strongest bond since ours, maybe more so... why does he look... what if they all..." Daemon had started to mutter to himself. Mukuro shrugged and moved onto the next room. Daemon faded away, and Mukuro waited for him to return. A minute later, the ghost reappeared with all the rings. "Hurry up, boy. I need to meet with Elena."

"Well, that was... oddly easier than I thought."

"It won't be once the Vindice find out what you're done. Whatever your escape plan is, you'd better hurry."

"Alright already! Let me just grab Chikusa and Ken. I'm not leaving them behind!"

o~o~o

"Gya-ha! The great Lambo-san has taken over the toilet! Now no one can go tee-tee without paying the toll!"

"Ugh... Lambo, please, don't do this."

"B-but Lampo-jiji... I ran out of candy!"

"Do you not know how to pick pocket?"

"Nu-uh. Well, not food. Mostly I start eating it in front of them, and then they get angry!"

"How to beg?"

"Well, yeah, but that only works on the really old ones. Usually all they've got is bad candy like Twizzlers and Lemon Drops!"

"Don't you have any money?"

"Duh. But that's for things like Takoyaki and Konpeito and Sushi!"

"Then you're just gonna have to wait for the plane to land, kid."

"B-but it's been hours! Can't you do some ghost thingy and bring me some?"

Lampo sigh heavily out his nose. "The things I'm doing for you lately..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am aware Japan has half days for school on Saturday. But... Well, I'm going to ignore that.
> 
> Next Chapter: Tsuna meets Chrome in person, and the rest of the guardians make their way into town! I'm finally almost to a big thing oh my god
> 
> EDIT: I would like to remind everyone again that if you want to have an in depth convo with me, you should really do it outside the comment section. Not to discourage long comments! But I have a twitter and a tumblr for questions and concerns. The comments are not a forum, even though I try to respond to most just so people know I read their message and treasure them dearly <3


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